Prosecutor: Philly mob jury wandering' in desert

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal prosecutor has told the judge he fears jurors deliberating the 52-count racketeering case against alleged leaders of the Philadelphia mob are “wandering in the desert.”

A metropolitan newspaper reports the comments Thursday by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Labor.

The prosecutor’s comments come a day after the judge replaced an ill juror and ordered the reconfigured group to renew their deliberations more than a week after they first began.

Labor asked U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno to give the jury a copy of the indictment to guide their deliberations involving charges against 73-year-old reputed boss Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi and his alleged associates.

Ligambi’s attorney argued against that and the judge asked Labor if he felt the jury was confused.

Labor says he thinks the jurors “are, perhaps, wandering in the desert.”